The vibe check failed
Gianni Infantino is officially on thin ice. After a massive three-and-a-half-hour FIFA council meeting, the leaders of the English and German football associations are straight-up questioning if he’s even fit to lead. Real talk: the meeting was supposed to address some major drama, but Infantino mostly just served apologies without the receipts.
The drama
Infantino opened the floor by saying sorry for trying to push through a World Cup sell-off plan without consulting his team. But when it came to answering actual questions about the $20bn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, the Donald Trump peace prize, and the weirdness surrounding the Folarin Balogun affair, he fell silent.
Even after bringing in two American lawyers to hype up a potential 20% stake sale to Thrive Capital, the council wasn't buying it. They forced the lawyers to leave the room.
Calling for change
English FA chair Debbie Hewitt didn't hold back, saying, "if he doesn’t answer those questions, he’s not fit to be Fifa president." The German FA president, Bernd Neuendorf, echoed that energy, saying a "complete restart" of FIFA’s leadership is non-negotiable. He is also lowkey confident that a challenger will emerge to run against Infantino in next year’s election before the November 18 nomination deadline.
While some African and Asian federation heads still have his back, the tension is real. The council did approve a $3.5bn payout to national associations, but that didn't stop the skepticism about Infantino's governance.
Why it matters
With the presidential election creeping up in March, the pressure is mounting. If the European heavyweights find a viable candidate to run against him, the plot could officially thicken for Infantino’s future at the top of the sport.
